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Once Quarter of Young Canadians Have Either Driven High or Been in a Car with a High Driver
By:
Deutschmann Personal Injury & Disability Law (Lawyers)
| Published 01/05/2020
CAA recently conducted a survey polling Canadians aged 18-24 and the results were not encouraging. Data on drug impaired driving since legalization of cannabis are now becoming available and if this is a sign of attitudes toward impaired driving then it is clear more education is required. 1500 individuals were polled between the end of November to the beginning of December
In their press release "Younger Canadians making dangerous choices when it comes to cannabis and driving" the following was found:
- 26% of Canadian youth aged 18-34 have either driven high or been in a car being driven by someone high
- 86% of young Canadians understand the importance of planning alternative travel arrangements after consuming alcohol but view it significantly less important to do so after consuming cannabis
- Many believe that their driving is unaffected by cannabis even though scientific studies have shown cannabis impairs driving ability
Mixing cannabis with alcohol is particularly danger and common. Mixing cannabis and alcohol before driving increased the risk of a fatal crash 30 fold, while driving cannabis impaired increased the risk of a fatal crash 5 fold. http://www.icadtsinternational.com/files/documents/2013_014.pdf
The Government of Canada has reported that:
When you drive a vehicle, you need to be alert and focused. Consuming even small amounts of cannabis affects your ability to react and increases your chance of being in a crash. Drugs impair your ability to drive by:
- affecting motor skills;
- slowing reaction time;
- impairing short term memory and concentration;
- causing drivers to vary speed and to wander; and
- reducing the ability to make decisions quickly or handle unexpected events
